The First of Midnight

A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is starting to ask complex questions about the origins of systemic inequality or when they are struggling to understand how historical injustices shape modern concepts of freedom. It is a powerful tool for navigating conversations about human dignity and the resilience required to maintain one's identity in a world that seeks to commodify it. Set in the bustling, gritty port of 18th-century Bristol, the story follows Midnight, an enslaved Black man, and Jess, a poor white girl sold into domestic service. Their shared struggle for agency creates a profound narrative about finding connection and hope in the face of institutional cruelty. Given its mature themes and historical realism, this book is most appropriate for readers aged 12 and up who are ready to engage with the harsh realities of the transatlantic slave trade and the rigid class structures of the past.